Passion is a Prison
by Tap Dancin On A Land Mine
Summary: recently rewritten...again. A frightened girl runs through the stormy streets, trying to find a way to escape an evil man. An agonized boy walks in the rain, escaping life's troubles if only for a while. Can these two tortured souls comfort one another?
1. Crying in the Rain

A few author's notes before we begin...

I've rewritten this story several times, and I think I finally have it where I want it.

My keyboard has massive issues. Some of the keys don't like to work correctly, the main culprits being "g" and "t," so I sincerely apologize for any typos I didn't catch.

I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or it's characters (sadly). If I did, there would be a little less card games :P (mostly because I have tried several times to write duels and I fail miserably every time .)

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Passion's A Prison  
Chapter 1: Tears in the Rain

A frightened young girl ran through the streets of Domino City as fast as her legs would possibly carry her. Her knee-length, powder-blue dress was torn in several places. The cut running down her right arm was smarting terribly. Both of her knees were scraped and bleeding from her frequent stumbling and her feet were killing her; she was still wearing her two-and-a-half-inch-heeled shoes. It was pouring rain and she was soaked to the bone, the wind whipping her sopping hair all around her. The cold night air seemed to shred her lungs with each breath she took, but she did not dare slow down.

She tripped for the umpteenth time, spraining her ankle and snapping the heel off of her left shoe. She shrieked in pain, stopped for a fraction of a second, and took off running again, only to run straight into something solid. Looking up, she realized it was a person.

"I am so, so sorry," she panted. "Are you okay?"

"Shizuka?" wheezed the man.

She backed away, still gasping for air, terrified that this man knew her name.

"Shizuka," said the man, regaining his voice. "Shizuka, it's me. What's wrong?"

"B…Bakura?" she gasped. "Bakura…Is that you?"

"Yes," he said, stepping into the light. She looked him in the eyes and realized that it was the good Bakura. "Shizuka, are you okay?"

"I-I think so," she said, starting to calm down now that she knew who she was talking to.

"Good," said Bakura, obviously relieved. "Now, c'mon, let's get you out of the rain."

He pulled out a black umbrella and opened it. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward him under it, an expression of concern crossing his features as he did so.

"You're bleeding," he said. He looked still more worried when he noticed her limp. "What happened to you?"

She looked around at all the people bustling around them, all the attention they were attracting.

"Not here," she said quietly. "I'll tell you later."

He nodded, looking at her suspiciously, and led her across the street, his arm still around her shoulders. For such a gentle person, he had a surprisingly firm grip. Yet she wasn't afraid of him; his grip wasn't painful or threatening. Though it was firm, his grip somehow seemed gentle, kind. For the first time in hours, she felt safe…for the most part. Part of her was still terrified that _he_ might find her again. That man, the reason she ran away, the man who did those terrible things to her. She could still hear his cruel laughter, ringing in her ears, could see him heading towards her, a horrible, hungry look on his face, a knife in his hands, its blade gleaming in the moonlight. She shuddered at the thought, and Bakura's strong hand gripped her shoulder a little more tightly, reassuringly. He smiled softly at her, his brown eyes glowing with kindness.

They turned a corner as thunder roared across the dark sky. The rain poured harder still, a few hailstones here and there. Finally, the two of them reached their destination. Bakura gave her still-bleeding shoulder a reassuring squeeze before letting go and retrieving a key from his pocket. He opened the door and gestured for her to enter. Shizuka thanked him softly and entered the house. He entered behind her and closed the door. He set his umbrella in the corner of the room and turned to face her.

_**XxXxXxXxXxX**_

"Shizuka," Ryo said, uncomfortable in the silence. She flinched violently and looked up. "It's okay," he said quickly, not wanting to frighten her. "Come with me."

She hesitated for a moment, but followed. Ryo grabbed the first-aid kit from the kitchen as they passed on the way to his room. His bedroom door was locked, as always when he was not in it. He unlocked it and pulled it open for Shizuka, gesturing for her to enter. She did so. She stood silently next to the bed, frightened, looking as though she were waiting for instruction.

"Sit down," he said gently. Shizuka obliged. He opened the first-aid kit and pulled out a roll of medical tape. "Let him see your arm," he said, again as gently as he could. She extended her right arm, and he noted that her hand was trembling slightly, but not from cold.

"Are you alright?" he asked while he bandaged her arm. She nodded. "Answer me honestly," he said, a bit more firmly than he would have liked, as he tied off the end of the bandage. Shizuka flinched. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, knowing he had scared her. "But please, tell me honestly: Are you okay?"

She hesitated again.

"I…" she began shakily. "I don't know."

He put his hand on her shoulder for a moment before kneeling on the floor to bandage her knees.

"This will sting a bit," he warned her as he opened the antiseptic. She winced a bit as he poured a few drops on her left knee. When he attempted to wrap the medical tape around it, however, she jumped and pulled her leg away.

"I'm sorry," he said, sincere, concerned. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," she said. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just..." she laughed quietly. "Your hands are cold."

"Ah," he said, nodding as she relaxed and allowed him to continue. "Sorry. My hands are always cold. They have been as long as he can remember. I get it from my mother. When I was little, I thought she was a vampire or something."

She laughed. He moved onto the right knee and warned her again of the antiseptic. He was more careful bandaging her right knee, knowing she could hurt herself if she jumped like that again.

He stood when he was done and headed to the door. She stared after him. The pained look in her crystal-green eyes made it all too clear she did not want to be alone. That combined with the bandages and the torn, bloodstained dress had him back at her side with an arm around her shoulders.

"I'll be right back," he promised softly. "I just want to run in the other room for a minute. Anzu left some clothes here the other day and asked him to wash them for her. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you borrowed them for tonight."

She nodded and relaxed, convinced he was not abandoning her. He stood and walked to the door again, giving her one last reassuring smile on the way out. He left the door open so she could still see him.

The laundry room was across the hall. Anzu's clothes were clean, dried, and folded inside the bag she'd handed them to him in, sitting on the counter just to the right of the door. He pulled a freshly-cleaned white towel out of the drier; it was still quite warm, he figured she'd like that.

He stepped back into his room and set the clothes and towel down on the bed next to Shizuka. She looked up at his approach.

"You get dried off and put some dry clothes on," he said to her. "I'll be right outside."

She nodded, still looking a bit apprehensive. He smiled at her and closed the door, leaning against it, deep in thought. Why was she so frightened? Why had she been running? Who gave her those cuts? Why wasn't Jonouchi with her? She never went anywhere alone. What had she been through to scare her so thoroughly?

As he wondered this, Shizuka came out into the hallway wearing Anzu's clothes. The jeans were a bit too long, but he had expected that; Anzu was taller than Shizuka. She had her long, wet red hair pulled to one side, letting it fall to her waist in front of her shoulder.

"Hi," he said softly. "You okay?"

She nodded. But she was still shaking, and her face was very pale.

"Shizuka," he said, "are you hungry?"

"A little," she said shakily.

He tried to remember what food he had in the house. Probably nothing she would like.

"Do you want to go to McDonald's or somewhere? I don't have much here."

"Okay," said Shizuka. She got to her feet, still seeming a bit unsteady. They headed to the door, where Ryo picked up his black umbrella again. He opened the door, opening the umbrella as he did so. Shizuka headed out in front of him, and he locked the door as we left.

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Tada! What do you guys think?


	2. A Beauty's Flight

Hello again! I'm glad you're still reading, it means I'm doing something right. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story so far, which I'm assuming you do since you're still reading (:

I'm still having massive issues with my keyboard, but I'm _preeeeeetty _sure I got all the mistakes in this chapter. If I'm wrong, I'm very sorry.

I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. That honor goes to Kazuki Takahashi.

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Passion's A Prison  
Chapter 2: A Beauty's Flight

Ryo walked Shizuka to the car and opened the door for her. She climbed in and he walked to the other side, getting in himself. He closed the umbrella and carefully placed it between them. He started the car and drove off. Shizuka was still shivering, so he turned on the heater. She smiled at him.

"Thank you," she said.

The two of them were silent for a while. The trip took a while; Ryo was a very cautious driver, a car crash being what killed his mother, and he drove slowly. This annoyed some people, especially Jonouchi. He insisted on driving when Jonouchi was in the car; the thought of Jonouchi's reckless soul behind the wheel of a moving vehicle scared him senseless. But Shizuka didn't seem to mind his slow driving. She seemed to be dreading the moment when she had to step out into the cold night.

"Bakura," she began.

"Ryo," he whispered, slightly irritated, slightly frightened. Since the Spirit had returned, Ryo had not been fond of being known as Bakura; he never knew who his friends were referring to, and he was terrified that he would at some point respond (or fail to respond) at the wrong moment.

"I'm sorry?" Shizuka said.

"Call me Ryo. Please. I-I'd prefer not to be known by the same name as the Spirit, especially since he's back."

"Oh," Shizuka said softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"It's alright," Ryo assured her. "It's not what you're used to calling me, I understand. Everyone's still getting used to it."

Shizuka nodded silently before continuing what she had wanted to say before. "Ryo, you know you don't have to do all this."

"I know," he told her as they pulled into the McDonald's parking lot. "But you're my friend. Did you expect me to leave you out there?"

She fell silent and made to get out of the car.

"Wait," he said. "I'll meet you there. You don't need another shower."

She laughed and nodded as he got out of the car and opened the umbrella. He opened her door and she stepped out lightly. Shizuka placed her order and was handed her food. The two of them took a table at the very back of the restaurant.

_**XxXxXxXxXxX**_

Shizuka looked curiously at Ryo as she unwrapped her sandwich. "Why didn't you get anything?"

"I'm not hungry," he said, shrugging. "I ate about an hour ago."

She nodded. She remained silent for a while, as did Ryo. She was incredibly grateful for all that he was doing for her. He was obviously worried about her, but she was glad he didn't force her to tell him what happened. She knew she should have told someone as soon as she got away, but she was scared. She didn't know who to tell or where to go, she just knew she had to get away from that man.

She looked up. Ryo was still gazing at her with concern. She took a sip of her drink, unwilling to meet his gaze lest he begin questioning me. She knew Ryo would not do that in a crowded restaurant, but she couldn't help it.

She finished her food in silence. She stood to throw her trash away, but Ryo took it from her and threw it away for me, saying that she did not need to be using her injured arm right now. He led her out to the car under his black umbrella. When both of them were in the car with the heat on, he turned in his seat to face me.

"Shizuka," he said softly. "What happened to you?"

"Well," she began, knowing she couldn't put the story off any longer. "Katsuya and I were at this party, and while we were there, Katsuya proposed to Mai. She said yes, so we went back to the house to celebrate, just the three of us. At home, this guy broke into the house and dragged me into Katsuya's room and locked the door. Katsuya and Mai were outside the room the entire time, yelling my name and telling the guy to stop. But he threw me onto the bed and tried to cut my dress off and…"

She broke off, sobbing at the painful memory.

"Shizuka," Ryo said, horrified. He shook his head, and then gestured toward Shizuka's injured arm. "Did he do this to you?"

"When I tried to get away," she said, trying—and failing—to compose herself. "Katsuya finally got the door open and was fighting the guy off. Mai joined in and Katsuya told me to get away. They told me to run. I didn't need telling twice."

Ryo put his arm around her shoulders again. She cried for what seemed like hours. Her eyes were itching and her ribs hurt, but she continued to sob into Ryo's chest. He kept his arm around her.

Finally, she pulled away from him and wiped her eyes.

"Are you alright?" Ryo asked yet again. She nodded. "Do you need somewhere to stay tonight?"

"I can't do that to you," she said.

"You won't be doing anything," he said. She opened her mouth to protest, but he said, "Shizuka, do you really want to go back home? He can find you there."

Shizuka could find no way to argue with this logic.

"I understand if you're worried," Ryo said. "You don't know me very well, and considering what you've been through, I understand that you don't really want to be alone with a guy you don't know."

"No," she said quickly, worried she had offended him. "No, that's not it. I just…"

"You're worried about your brother?" Ryo suggested.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"Lucky guess. Call him."

He handed her his cell phone.

"Thank you," she said, dialing her home number. Katsuya's carefree, always-cheerful voice greeted her through the answering machine.

"Hey, you've reached the Jonouchi residence. I'm assuming you know how to operate an answering machine; I'm not going to insult your intelligence by giving you instructions."

She sighed. Katsuya was her brother and she loved him dearly, but he really needed to make the outgoing message just a _tad _more formal. She hung up, deciding it was best not to leave a message in the event that _he_ was still in the house. She tried her brother's cell phone, and when she received a similar devil-may-care voice mail greeting, she felt safer in saying, "Hey Kat, it's Shizuka. I'm with Ryo, so call him when you get the chance. I'm perfectly fine, don't worry too much. I hope you're okay too. I love you." These last three words held much more emotion than she had originally planned.

She hung up the phone, handing it back to Ryo as she said, "You're sure it's okay if I stay with you tonight?"

"It's no problem." Ryo smiled, an expression so warm and reassuring she could not help but smile back.

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Another chapter complete! Please type your opinions in the little box.


	3. The Taste of Innocence

Lookie, fast-ish update! yay!

anyways. I'm still having keyboard issues (I have no idea when that will get fixed...) and now more keys are joining the I-Hate-Roxy-And-Will-Not-Type-Correctly legion. I'm very sorry.

Again, I don't own YGO or its characters, sadly.

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Passion's A Prison  
Chapter 3: The Taste of Innocence

Ryo and Shizuka entered the house again and Ryo told Shizuka to sit down on the couch. She nodded and headed for the living room. It was a reasonably sized, cozy room. It had a deep blue carpet, like the rest of the house, and starkly white walls. The house had a simple, home-like feel to it. It was easy to be comfortable here. The sitting room windows had simple blue curtains, just a shade lighter than the carpet. They were drawn back slightly, revealing a stunning view of the full moon outside reflected in the lake behind the house. In the far corner there was a slightly shabby upright piano, upon which were several photos. The largest of these depicted a breathtakingly beautiful woman with long, silvery-white hair; the exact shade of Ryo's, if sleeker and less fluffy. Her deep brown eyes were exactly like Ryo's as well. She was holding a young boy who could only be a much younger Ryo, smiling blissfully up at the camera.

"That's the last picture she have of her," said Ryo's voice from behind her. She looked at his face, which showed an emotion she couldn't quite place. "Bakura's destroyed the rest."

"Your mother," Shizuka said softly. "I'm so sorry, Ryo. You must miss her terribly."

"I do," Ryo said, smiling sadly.

"She was beautiful."

Ryo nodded. "Beautiful, very talented, marvelously intelligent, and exceptionally kind."

He picked up another photo, this one showing a young girl with long black hair and shockingly bright blue eyes. She was holding a guitar, smiling brightly.

"This is my sister," he said softly. "They both died in a car crash when I was little."

"I'm so sorry," Shizuka said again, wishing she could say something else.

"Everyone always says that," Ryo said, a hint of remorse in his soft voice. "But you never really know when they mean it."

He set his sister's picture back down and gazed at the floor as his beautiful calico cat rubbed against my leg, purring.

"She usually doesn't come to see new people," he said. "I expected her to be hiding somewhere."

Ryo shrugged and reached for the blankets he had carried in. He withdrew from their folds a slim case, which she recognized as a DVD.

"Jonouchi once told me," he said, opening the case, "that you always watch this movie when you're upset. I thought you might want to watch it now."

"I'd like that," she said truthfully.

He put The Princess Bride in the DVD player and pressed play. He sat down and reached for his cocoa, handing hers to her as he did so.

About ten minutes into the movie, a familiar song erupted in the room.

_I really miss your hair in my face_

_And the way your innocence tastes_

_And I think you should know this_

_You deserve much better than me._

Ryo pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and answered it.

"Hello?" he said. "Yeah…Yeah, she's here, she's fine…Okay." He looked at her. "It's your brother. He wants to talk to you."

Shizuka took the phone. "Hello?" she said.

"Shizuka, are you okay?" said Katsuya. His voice was cracked with fear; he was obviously worried out of his mind.

"Yes, Kat," she said calmly, "I'm fine. I got a few cuts, but Ryo took care of them for me."

"Okay," he said, starting to calm down. He took a deep breath. "Okay. Don't come home, the guy's still there, and he brought friends. I'm at Mai's, so call her house or my cell if you need me, 'kay?"

"Alright," she said. "Are you okay, Kat? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," he said soothingly. "I'm okay, Shizuka, don't worry."

"Good," Shizuka said, and paused before saying, "I'm staying at Ryo's tonight."

Katsuya hesitated. Apparently, he did not approve of her spending the night with a boy, particularly after the events of that night.

"Katsuya," she said with a hint of impatience. "Don't worry. You can trust Ryo, you know that. He's taken perfectly good care of me so far."

"Jonouchi," Ryo said, taking the phone from her. "Shizuka will be fine here, I promise...she'll take my bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

Shizuka made a face.

"You don't have to give up your bed, Ryo," she said. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"Shizuka," Ryo said softly, placing an icy hand on the side of her face so he could look her in the eyes. "I'll be fine. Sleeping on the couch for one night will not hurt me."

She smiled at him and sighed, taking the phone back again. "Katsuya?"

"Yeah?"

She paused, not sure what to say. "I love you, Kat."

"I love you too, Munchkin. And I'm so glad you're okay."

"You too. Goodnight, Katsuya. I'll see you soon."

"Sweet dreams, Shizuka."

She hung up and handed the phone to Ryo, who was singing under his breath:

_I really miss your hair in my face_

_And the way your innocence tastes_

_And I think you should know this_

_You deserve much better than me._

"So," she said, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. "What _does_ innocence taste like?"

He set down his cup and faced her.

"I don't know," he said, looking into her eyes. "Let me find out."

We leaned toward each other. He wrapped his arms around her and ran his pale, thin fingers through her hair. Their lips met, and every worry about the night's events vanished from her mind. They sat there, entwined, for several minutes. Or was it hours? Or perhaps several moonlit days. She couldn't be sure.

Finally they pulled apart, but she longed for the connection to continue. She _loved_ the way his strong, gentle hands caressed her, _loved_ the way his lips met hers.

He looked into her eyes again and said, "Hot chocolate."

She smiled and rested her head on his chest. Ryo pulled a blanket over them and wrapped his arms around Shizuka's slight form underneath it, his cold hands on her waist. They faced the T.V. just in time to see Wesley and Buttercup sharing their fateful kiss.

_**XxXxXxXxXxX**_

Jonouchi hung up the phone and sat down next to Mai.

"Is she okay?" Mai asked anxiously.

"She's fine," he replied. "She's with Ryo."

Mai looked concerned.

"Mai," Jonouchi said calmly. "Ryo's a great guy. Seriously. He wouldn't hurt a fly. I trust him. You should too."

"You're right," said Mai after a brief pause, "I think my sister-in-law is safe with him."

She wrapped her arms around Jonouchi and kissed me on the cheek.

"You didn't tell anyone," she said. "Did you?"

"No," he said calmly. "And I won't until you're ready."

"You're the best," she said, kissing him again.

"And don't you ever forget it."

_**

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**_I do not own _The Princess Bride_ or the song _Better Than Me_. I just love them (:

I still don't think Ryo and Shizuka's kiss is quite right. Like the timing of it, ya know? It still feels off to me.

Anyway, what do you think so far?


	4. Savage Love

Hello! I hope you are enjoying the story so far (which I will assume you are, since you're still reading it :)

Anyway. A few of my friends have been wondering if I forgot about the characters other than Ryo and Shizuka, so...ENTER BAKURA! Yesh, Thieving Mr. Evil-Pants comes along in this chapter. Yay for other characters!

Still having problems with my keyboard. I think I've been pretty good about weeding out all the typos so far (knock on wood) but I'm very sorry if I missed any.

I do not own YGO. This is a fact that saddens me deeply.

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Passion's A Prison

Chapter 4: Savage Love

Bakura entered the house, in a bad mood as usual. He tripped over Ryo's cat, Bynx, on the way in the kitchen. Bynx yowled angrily and bit his leg; he kicked her off and was happy to know that the little beast hit the opposite wall with a thud.

He opened the refrigerator only to see that Ryo had filled it with his damn vegetarian eats again. He'd have to kick Ryo's little ass for that. Ryo _knows _he doesn't eat that shit. _Oh well,_ Bakura thought. _I'll just have to remind him. But how?_ He examined the knives in the block on the counter. _Decisions, decisions…_

Laughing to himself, he pulled a Power-Aid out of the fridge and drained it in one gulp, being sure to leave the empty bottle on Ryo's spotless counter. He sat at the kitchen table, trying to decide on the proper punishment for Ryo. He wanted this _particular_ lesson to really _sink in_. This was the _last_ time he was going to teach it to him.

He had just decided to sleep on it when he heard a sound from the living room: an unfamiliar male voice.

"…Hardly complimentary, my dear highness," he was saying. "Why use your venom on me?"

Bakura stepped into the living room to realize that it was only the television. Ryo must have left it on.

"You killed my love," said the woman the man had spoken to.

"It's possible," the man said, shrugging. "I kill a lot of people." Bakura laughed. Something told him he'd get along with this man.

"You mock my pain!" the woman shrieked.

"Life is pain, highness," the man said harshly. "Anyone who says differently is selling something."

Still laughing, he scanned the room, hoping to give Ryo a good scare before going to bed. A shocking sight met his eyes.

Yes, Ryo was on the couch just as he had expected. But in his arms was…a girl.

A _beautiful_ girl.

She was curled in a ball under the blankets, her head resting on Ryo's chest, her long, copper-toned hair half-covering her angelic face. Her long, slender arms, ghostly pale in the moonlight, were crossed loosely over her chest, rising and falling peacefully with her slow, deep breathing. He crept silently toward the gorgeous sleeping girl. Bakura could hardly breathe for fear of waking her. When he was close enough, he saw that her right arm had been carefully bandaged, no doubt by Ryo. A powerful wave of jealousy coursed through his body at the thought of his worthless Hikari touching this girl's skin. But at the same time, he felt pity for this girl. He felt compassion for her numerous injuries. He had never pitied another's pain before. Quite to the contrary, he had always enjoyed it. But this girl…this beautiful, innocent girl…had somehow uncovered the sympathy in his veins.

He felt a sudden, insatiable urge to touch her, to hold her. His hands were gliding toward her with no instruction whatsoever from his brain. He found himself lifting her from the couch, leaving Ryo behind. He nearly dropped her when he realized what he'd done, but he managed to remain in control of his muscles. He carried her to his room and placed her on the bed, where she curled back into her snug ball, facing him. Gently and silently, he laid the blankets over her sleeping form. She smiled softly in her sleep and shifted her head on the pillows.

He didn't know how long he sat there, simply watching her sleep. She muttered incoherently now and then, occasionally forming words. He distinctly heard "Katsuya" a few times. She had a strange look on her face. Fear, maybe? He wondered why.

_**XxXxXxXxXxX**_

Shizuka opened her eyes and found herself in an unfamiliar room. She looked around, hoping to see Ryo so he could tell her where she was. But who she found was definitely not Ryo. He did look somewhat like Ryo, but there were distinct differences. This man's hair stuck up more in the front, looking like a pair of white bat-wings had been placed there. He was also more strongly built than Ryo, his highly muscular chest showing through his unbuttoned shirt. For a moment, she did not recognize this man, but then her eyes fell upon the strange gold pendant his was wearing.

This was the spirit of the Millennium Ring.

She gasped in shock, and he placed a hand on her shoulder. His hands were icy cold, like Ryo's, but they had none of Ryo's gentleness.

"It's alright," he said softly. "I won't hurt you, I swear."

"That's what you said to Ryo," she said savagely, throwing his hand off of her. "Every time you tried to take over, you said that, he mentioned it last night. Where is he? What've you done to him? Tell me!"

Before she knew it, she was on her feet.

"He's fine," Bakura said simply. "He's fine, I swear. Don't worry yourself, sweetheart."

"That's Miss Jonouchi to you," she said.

"Well, Miss Jonouchi," he said politely, "it's certainly nice to make your acquaintance."

He pulled her hand toward him and kissed it. She withdrew it quickly; his lips were so cold they burned. However, he pulled her closer and kissed her neck repeatedly, biting her a few times. Once he drew blood, which he licked away. She moaned in pain, begging him to stop, but the embrace continued.

"There you are!" said a voice from the doorway. She looked up and saw Ryo standing there, miraculously unharmed. Such a powerful wave of relief swept over her that for a moment she felt light-headed.

Ryo surged forward and pulled Shizuka away from Bakura. "What did you do to her?" he asked, almost snarling. He stepped forward and made sure he was in front of Shizuka.

"Why must you always accuse me of hurting people?" Bakura asked, with an almost-convincingly innocent look.

"Oh, I don't know," he said, his voice dripping with biting sarcasm. "Maybe because you always do? Now tell me what you did to her!"

"Nothing," he said. "I did not harm Miss Jonouchi."

"Oh, so I'm supposed to believe she cut herself on the neck?" he asked. "Look, I don't want to play games with you, you monster-"

Bakura threw his head back and laughed maliciously and walked forward. Shizuka was trembling again. He shoved Ryo aside, none too gently, and reached for Shizuka.

"It's not _you_ I'm aiming to play with," he said. Shizuka looked as though she might faint. He kissed her. She struggled to get away, tears running down her face, but Bakura redoubled his grip, pulling her closer. He was holding her so tightly that she could barely breathe; she struggled frantically, desperate to escape.

"LET HER GO!" Ryo yelled, running forward. He pulled at Bakura's arms with all his strength, already knowing it was no use. But he had to try. Shizuka was growing more terrified by the second; her face was shining with tears, but whether they were from fear or pain, he did not know.

And then Bakura's hand shifted to remove Shizuka's shirt.

This act pushed him over the edge. He would _not_ allow Bakura to subject Shizuka to any more unwanted physical contact. With every ounce of strength he could muster, he wrenched Bakura's arm off of the terrified girl. He took Shizuka in his arms and headed for the door. For some reason, Bakura did not follow. He half-carried Shizuka to the car. Only once the two of them were safely in the car, the doors locked, did he turn to look at her.

She was crying and shaking, her breath shallow and uneven. Ryo hesitated, not wanting to frighten her more by touching her. However, she put her arms around him, sobbing into his chest just as she had the night before. He hugged her gently and began trying to reassure her. Eventually, she stopped crying and pulled away, wiping her face.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly. She nodded shakily. Her neck was still bleeding. "Here," he said gently. He reached over and opened the glove box. He pulled out a small first-aid kit, from which he withdrew a band-aid. He gently placed it over the cut and lowered his hands. She looked up, her eyes still swimming in tears.

"Thank you," she said.

"It's no problem," he told her, starting the car and driving off.

"Where are we going?" Shizuka asked shakily.

"Mai's house," Ryo said simply. "I think you need to see Jonouchi."

_**XxXxXxXxXxX**_

Bakura stood there, shameful, horrified. The girl made him feel…almost human…and he abused her, abused her like he had everyone else in his life, as if she had abused him as well. She'd done nothing, yet he'd felt the need to treat her cruelly. Ryo had done nothing to deserve his abuse either, nor any of his friends. Not even he Pharaoh, he realized with a crushing wave of grief.

He was ashamed of himself. Ryo was right. He was a monster.

That poor girl...

He walked absentmindedly into the kitchen. He pulled a knife out of the block. It seemed impossible that just last night, he had thought of punishing Ryo. He remembered the line from the movie he had been watching.

_It's possible. I kill a lot of people._

This was true on his part. He had killed and injured so many...and he had terrified that beautiful girl..._ It's possible. I kill a lot of people..._ he raised the knife. He could still hear her voice: _That's what you said to Ryo..._And he had nearly killed him, too...The knife blade was touching his chest..._ It's possible. I kill a lot of people..._Would he be the last...?

Just as he wondered this, the front door opened with a bang.

"Bakura!" called Marik's voice. "Bakura, you there?"

He set the knife down quickly and walked over to the door.

"What?" he said, trying to sound irritable rather than depressed.

"Namu said he saw Ryo out in that storm with the Jonouchi girl," Marik said, "and that it looked liked they were headed here. Is it true?"

"Yeah," he said. "So?"

"So?" Marik repeated incredulously. "_So? _So, this opens a whole new _world_ of ways to torture him. I can't believe you didn't think of that!"

"It crossed my mind," he said in what he hoped was an offhand tone. "But think about it. There is always security around her. You saw how they all reacted at Battle City. I thought you'd learned."

"Bakura," said Marik, putting an arm around his shoulders in a business like way, "it's been four years since Battle City. We're smarter now. We have better techniques. I'm sure that the two of us can think of something."

"I suppose," he said, shrugging his arm off. "But can't we find a target other than the girl?"

"Are you going soft on me, Bakura?" Marik asked, his eyes wide. "You never pass up an opportunity to cause pain, especially not to Ryo. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," he lied. "It's just...You didn't see the connection between those two. Ryo and the Miss Jonouchi. He loves her. If we get hold of the girl, Ryo would likely get himself killed trying to get her back."

"Oh, now you're protecting Ryo?" Marik said, scowling as he always did when the word "love" came up.

"No," he said quickly. "No. I'm just saying: I still need him. And, he is his Hikari. He let me out of the Millennium Ring, I haven't forgotten. I owe him something for that."

"Who are you, and what have you done with Bakura?"

He rolled his eyes. "He's still a part of me. There's still a connection. Don't tell me you don't realize you're still a part of Namu?"

"Okay," Marik said impatiently. Bakura knew he had won the argument when he brought up Marik's lighter half. Marik _hated_ that little worm. "Alright, we won't use the girl."

The two of us fell silent. He picked the knife up and put it slowly back into the block. _I don't want to play games with you, you monster..._

_you monster..._Ryo had been right.

**

* * *

**

AN: I am hopelessly dyslexic and have a hard time telling the difference between the names Malik and Marik. So I'm using Marik's assumed name from Battle City (Namu) to refer to the lighter half rather than the name Malik. I'm terribly sorry if this causes any confusion, and I hope you understand.

I wasn't sure what to title this chapter, and I don't think the name I settled with fits (at all) but it will have to do for now.

I do not own _The Princess Bride_, unfortunately. T'is one of my favorite movies, though I still haven't gotten around to reading the book...

Anyway. Thanks for reading, and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Next chapter is finished and should be up soon.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey there. Thanks for reading. I don't have a whole lot to say here, so...

Still having keyboard issues. I'm very sorry for any typos I missed.

OH! I do have one new note: I think I'm gonna be changing the name of this story in the next couple chapters. I'll tell you guys what the new name will be in the next chapter if I've thought of it by then.

YGO does not belong to me. Thank you, Kazuki Takahashi, for creating it.

* * *

Passion is a Prison  
Chapter 5

Jonouchi woke with a start just before seven, nearly falling off the arm chair in which he had fallen asleep. One hand clenched tightly on the arm of the chair, the other clutching at his chest as he tried to catch his breath.

The nightmare was proving difficult to shake. Glimpses of it were still flashing through his mind, a rapid succession of horrible memories: the sight of Shizuka pressed against the back window of the car as their mother drove away; flashes of the abuse he suffered at his father's hands; the things Hirutani threatened to do to his friends if he refused to rejoin his old gang, watching the things his old "friends" did after having put that life behind him; having to leave Honda behind at Death-T, thinking he would never see his friend again; the pained look on Yugi's face as Marik forced them to duel on the pier, Yugi's motionless body falling below the surface as the anchor fell... Shizuka's screams from the previous night, shrieks of pain and terror that chilled him to the bone even now and made his heart seize up...

He sat there for a long while, eyes closed tight as he relived some of the most horrifying moments of his life. Finally he forced himself to push these thoughts from his mind. He drew several deep breaths and pried his hand off the arm of the chair; his fingers were cramped and sore from the hour they'd spent digging into the chair. He settled back into the cushions. It was just after eight. He had only finally managed to fall asleep around five. He was thoroughly exhausted; without the initial senseless panic the nightmare had brought, his vision grew hazy and his limbs felt heavier than usual. But knew that more sleep would be impossible after the nightmare he'd had. He looked around the room for Mai, but did not see her.

"Mai?" he called, sitting up. She re-entered the living room, smiling.

"Good morning," she said brightly. She swooped down to kiss him.

"You damn morning person," he mumbled around her lips.

"Are you okay?" Mai asked, concerned, perching herself on the arm of the chair. "You look...well, not okay, to be honest."

"M'alright," Jonouchi said groggily. "Just tired."

"Then go back to sleep."

"I can't," Jonouchi said, avoiding Mai's gaze.

"Having nightmares?"

Jonouchi stared at her. "How did you know?"

"You don't usually talk in your sleep, darlin," Mai said gently, taking his hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not particularly."

"Understandable."

"What did I say?"

"Names mostly. Nothing descriptive."

Jonouchi nodded, and then paused before asking, "How long have you been up, anyway?"

"Since about five thirty," she said. "But I fell asleep before you, didn't I? When did you finally fall asleep?"

"Five-ish. Woke up around seven."

"No wonder you're tired. Try to go back to sleep, love."

Jonouchi shook his head. Mai wrapped her arms around him and Jonouchi relaxed into the embrace. They remained this way for several minutes, drawing apart only when Jonouchi's cell phone started ringing.

_I know that she will never be politically correct_

"Damn," Jonouchi murmured sleepily. "Where the hell did I leave it?"

_And I don't give a damn about my lack of etiquette_

Mai sighed as she helped Jonouchi look for his phone. "You need to keep track of your things better, darlin."

_As far as I'm concerned, the world could still be flat_

"Damn ring tone," Jonouchi muttered. "Why's it gotta be so frickin loud?"

_And if the thrill is gone, then it's time to take it back_

_If the thrill is gone, then it's time to take it back_

"So you hear it?" Mai suggested, earning herself a thwack in the head with a pillow.

_Who am I, Why am I here?_

"Besides," Mai continued. "You like this song. So do I."

"That doesn't change the fact that it's loud."

_Forget the questions, someone get me another beer_

"The song is called _Everything Louder than Everything Else_; you expect it _not_ to be loud?"

"Shut up."

"Great comeback."

_What's the meaning of life, what's the meaning of it all?_

"Here," Mai said, handing it to him when she spotted it on the couch.

"Thanks," he said. "I curse the day these things were invented."

_You gotta learn to dance before you learn to crawl_

_You gotta learn to dance-_

"Hello," he said into the phone. "Hey, Ryo," he said, his voice warming some through his grogginess.

Mai eyed him carefully as he spoke to his sister. There were dark, bruise-like circles under his eyes and he was very pale. She closed her eyes; she knew he must have gotten hardly any sleep the night before. He'd been so anxious, particularly after Mai suggested involving the police in this matter. Jonouchi's previously encounters with the police had been less than pleasant, as he was generally the one standing accused, and he was not looking forward to bringing this matter to their attention. More than that, he did not want to put Shizuka through the stress of a trial; he did not want her to be constantly reminded of this horrible ordeal. He felt it would be much more difficult for her to recover from it if she had to focus on it for hours at a time, answer questions for strangers about a man she would rather forget. Mai understood this, but the only real way to put this man away from them and out of Shizuka's life was to bring his cruelty to attention and put him behind bars. It had taken some persuasion, but she had managed to convince Jonouchi of this, too.

"Mai?" Jonouchi said, pulling her out of her thoughts. She looked at him. "That's the third time I've called you, Mai. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said. "Just thinking about some stuff."

He eyed her suspiciously for a moment before continuing. "Ryo and Shizuka are on their way over," he said. "Apparently Bakura's home and Ryo wants to put some distance between him and Shizuka."

"Wait," Mai said. "Bakura, as in the Spirit of the Millennium Ring? As in the dude you guys got rid of in Egypt?"

"Fuck," Jonouchi said. "I haven't told you yet, I'm sorry. You were away when they came back-"

"'They'?"

"Bakura and Marik."

"Marik?" she said, her face going pale.

Jonouchi wrapped his arms around her as she started to cry. The tears were uncharacteristic of her, and frighteningly so. It was clear she remembered all too well the things of which Marik was capable. She clutched at his shirt, shaking with sobs. "Shhh," he whispered, awake and alert now. "Shh. Easy, Mai, it's okay."

After a few minutes Mai pulled away shakily, still hiccuping with tears. Jonouchi took her face in his hands, looking deep into her tear-filled eyes. "He won't hurt you again," he said. "I promise."

Mai nodded. Jonouchi wiped a stray tear from her eye before lowering his hands from her face. He noticed as he did so that his hands were trembling slightly.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to upset you."

He pulled Mai into his arms again, stroking her hair as she composed herself, and as he tried to compose himself as well. He himself remembered Marik's power with frightening clarity. Tears welled up in his eyes as the sights and sounds of Mai being tortured at Battle City played through his head. He fought hard to keep the tears at bay as he recalled his personal experience with Marik's power. The physical pain he suffered in his duel with Marik had been excruciating in its own way, but the duel with Yugi on the pier had been a whole other kind of agony, one that would never fade. He abruptly forced himself to hide these thoughts as Mai started to pull away again.

"Anyway," he said. "Shizuka and Ryo are on their way over."

"Okay," Mai said softly. "I can't wait to see her."

There was a certain emotion in Jonouchi's voice that even he could not identify as he said, "Me either."

_**

* * *

**_

I do not own the song _Everything Louder than Everything Else _by Meat Loaf (Jonouchi's ring tone).

I didn't mean for Mai to call people "darlin" instead of "darling," my keybaord decided that. But I decided I liked that batter anyway. So, thanks I guess, keyboard issues.

Anyway, thanks for reading. Reviews are appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

lookie! fast update! This chapter has one through some serious reconstruction, and I'm fairly pleased with it.

The title of this story will be changing in the next couple of chapters; I'm thinking about "Enchantress," but that might not be it.

I still don't own YGO.

* * *

Passion is a Prison

Chapter 6

"Are you sure you're alright, Shizuka?" Ryo asked again.

"I'm fine," Shizuka sighed. "You worry too much Baku-Ryo."

"I've been told that," Ryo said, smiling as she corrected herself.

"Hey Ryo?" Shizuka said after a moment.

"Yeah?" he said

"I thought you and Yugi and the others got rid of Bakura."

"Well, Yugi and the others did. I wasn't there." Ryo sounded troubled by these last three words. But he pressed on. "He showed up again a few weeks ago, along with Marik."

"I'm assuming you mean the evil, twisty..._evil_ Marik."

Ryo nodded, smiling. "Yes, that one. By some cosmic phenomenon that Bakura has yet to explain to me, they have returned."

"What about Atem?" Shizuka asked. "If Bakura and Marik are back, doesn't that mean Atem is back too?"

"Considering that, in theory, Marik wouldn't exist without him and Bakura wouldn't exist in our world without him, I'd say yes. I haven't heard from Yugi lately so I don't know, but I can't see why they'd be here if Atem wasn't."

"That might explain it," Shizuka murmured.

"Explain what?" Ryo asked, curious.

Shizuka shook her head slightly. "Kat has Yugi over all the time, and a few weeks ago, around the time you said Bakura came back, Yugi stopped answering the phone, stopped dropping by...like he dropped off the face of the planet or something. Kat finally managed to get a hold of him again last week, but he's been...not himself. At all. Kind of... depressed, maybe. But I don't get it... He's missed Atem so much, so if Atem's back shouldn't Yugi be happy?"

"One would think so," Ryo said. Then his brow furrowed. "Atem showing up again might explain Yugi disappearing like that, but then wouldn't Atem be with him once Yugi 'reappeared' or whatever?"

"I was wondering the same thing. This doesn't make any sense," Shizuka said, leaning back against the seat with a _thwump _as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Things regarding Yugi and Atem rarely do make much sense," Ryo mused.

"Fair point," Serenity allowed, and then sighed. "Kat and I have been really worried about him. Yugi, I mean."

"I can see why. I don't think I've ever heard the word 'depressed' used to describe Yugi."

"No," Shizuka said softly. "I didn't think I would ever _use_ the word 'depressed' used to describe Yugi. He's not himself. He's been even quieter than usual. I haven't seen him smile once since he started coming over again, and he's not eating as much, he's lost a lot of weight. And he always has these dark circles under his eyes, like he hasn't been sleeping. He won't tell me what's going on. And I get the feeling Kat knows more about it than he's letting on."

"He must be upset," Ryo mused solemnly. "Yugi normally tries not to let it show when something's bothering him."

"I know," Shizuka said, then sighed as they pulled into Mai's driveway. "Ryo?"

Ryo looked at her as he cut the engine.

Shizuka hesitated before continuing. "Don't tell Katsuya about what happened this morning. With Bakura."

"I won't," Ryo said. "I don't want Jonouchi to go after Bakura."

The two got out of the car and headed for the house. Ryo knocked on the door, and seconds later they were greeted by Mai.

"Shizuka!" she said, hugging Shizuka tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay. We've been so worried." She let go, kissing Shizuka on the forehead and smiling brightly before turning to Ryo. "Thank you so much for taking care of her."

"It's no problem," Ryo said, smiling.

Mai led the two of them inside, and the second Shizuka was safely in the house, Joey took her in his arms, loving and protective. Relieved to hold her in his arms and see for himself that she was alright, to know for certain she was safe. He buried his face in her hair, tears welling up in his eyes. She clung to him, crying silently as well.

When they finally drew apart, Jonouchi looked down at his sister, his hands on either side of her face.

_**XxXxXxXxXxX**_

Emotions are strange things. The predominant emotion in Bakura's life was easy to pinpoint: hate. Though he had never _felt_ other emotions strongly, there were a fair few he thought he had a good perception of. Jealousy, for example. He thought he had a good handle on that one. But last night…That was the first time he'd really _felt _it. And it was not what he had expected, by any means. Not to mention he'd never thought he'd feel jealousy toward Ryo.

Love, however, had always bewildered him. He thought he'd never understand it. And now he realized he had been right. He had never seen this girl before last night, and yet…

And right then, he made his decision. Love was strange, and that's all there was to it.

_**XxXxXxXxXxX**_

Shizuka was never one to trust someone right away. Considering how short a time she had known Ryo, she seemed far too comfortable around him. This was not a bad thing, not by any means, but it was strange. Jonouchi figured that was just the kind of guy Ryo was. Gentle, non-threatening, kind, easy to trust.

After Mai and Shizuka had wandered into the kitchen to talk, he and Ryo sat down in the living room, Jonouchi in the arm chair again, Ryo on the couch. Ryo seemed uncomfortable in this unfamiliar setting-no, Jonouchi thought, he seemed like he was trying not to seem uncomfortable. Jonouchi spoke, trying to ease the unnecessary tension.

"Thank you," he said. "For taking Shizuka in last night. You have no idea how much that means to us."

"It was no problem," Ryo said sincerely. "Really."

Jonouchi smiled. "So what did you two do last night?"

Ryo paused for an almost imperceptible moment. "We went to McDonalds to pick up some dinner, then watched _The Princess Bride_."

"She loves that movie," Jonouchi said, smiling again.

"You told me," Ryo said. "That's what made me think of it, I remembered what you said." Ryo was smiling, but the unease Jonouchi was sensing from him did not lessen.

"Ryo," he said. "Are you alright? You seem upset."

Ryo hesitated. "Shizuka told me about Yugi," he said slowly. "How he hasn't been himself. Do you know why?"

Now it was Jonouchi's turn to hesitate. "Yeah," he said, deciding the truth was his best option here; Ryo was very perceptive. If he tried to lie, Ryo would know Ryo probably already knew what was going on anyway, he was smart. "Yeah, I do."

"Is Atem back?" Ryo asked.

"Yugi didn't want anyone to know," Jonouchi said softly, staring at the coffee table. There was more than concern in his features now. "He asked me not to tell anyone, I promised I wouldn't."

"You didn't tell me," Ryo said. "Don't feel bad, Jou. You didn't tell me, I figured it out. Well, Shizuka did."

"I should've guessed you guys would figure it out since Bakura's back too."

Ryo smiled. "Yeah. I don't understand, though. Why didn't Yugi want us to know that Atem was back? And why's he been so upset lately?"

Jonouchi paused, drawing a deep breath and holding it for a moment. He exhaled in a gust before speaking again. "Atem wanted to come back," Jonouchi began hesitantly. "He missed Yugi. I'm not entirely sure how he got back, but he did, and something was different. Right away, when Atem got back, Yugi got the feeling something's seriously changed about him. Something in his eyes and the way he spoke was just _different_. And now that he's been here a while, Yugi's been able to place it, and he's really worried about him. Atem's been moodier, almost angsty. He helps out in the shop and everything, but he always seems distracted, he loses his temper easier, and when he's not actively _doing_ anything, he just sits and broods over things. Yugi catches flashes of things through the mind-link, never more than like two seconds. There's this deep, heavy feeling of just _discontent_. And even the quick little snippets Yugi gets from him are just terrible."

Jonouchi seemed like there was more he wanted to say, but he just stared at the table.

"Hey, Jou," Mai said softly as she entered the room, followed closely by Shizuka. Mai perched herself on the arm chair, wrapping her arms around Jonouchi. He looked up at her, and she met his tight, troubled eyes in a way so deep, so loving and understanding Ryo looked away, feeling like he was intruding.

Shizuka sat next to him on the couch, looking troubled herself.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Jonouchi and Mai looked up, but Ryo barely noticed.

Shizuka shook her head. "I told Mai," she whispered.

"Told her what?" Ryo and Jonouchi asked in unison. Shizuka looked up at Ryo, biting her lip. Understanding flashed into Ryo's mind and he nodded. Shizuka turned to face her brother.

"Kat," she said hesitantly. "I need to tell you something." Jonouchi said nothing, but looked at his sister with concern etched in his features. Shizuka drew a deep breath before saying, "Ryo and I kissed last night."

Jonouchi blinked. After a few seconds of unbearable silence, he turned to look at Ryo. He looked murderous.

"Katsuya."

Shizuka's voice was calm. She stood and took a few casual steps forward, placing herself in front of Ryo, facing Jonouchi. She spoke again, calm, reasoning.

"Katsuya, nothing happened.

"Stop defending him," Jonouchi snapped.

"There's nothing to defend," she said, her voice sounding more fierce now, more like her brother. "He didn't do anything wrong."

Jonouchi glanced once at his sister before pushing her out of the way. Shizuka's explanation had no affect.

"I want to know," he said viciously, "why you did it. Did you think it would keep guys away from her if they saw her with _you_?" he suggested with a cruel, completely-un-Jonouchi-ish laugh. "Or did you think it would impress us? Or maybe, you thought you could blame this on Bakura, so you could get him off your hands?"

Ryo shook his head frantically, backing away. "Jonouchi, I love her," he choked.

"Don't give me that," Jonouchi growled. "I trusted you. I trusted you, and after all that she went through yesterday, you still-"

"Jonouchi, calm down," Mai said angrily, gripping his arm. He shook her off violently.

Shizuka took another step forward and slapped her brother, hard, across the face. "Don't you take this out on her," she snapped. "Or on Ryo, for that matter. Ryo didn't do anything wrong, dammit, he was perfectly nice to me last night-"

"A little too nice, it seems," Jonouchi spat, pushing Shizuka out of his way. She sank to her knees, tears in her eyes, as her brother headed for Ryo again.

"Kat, don't!" she screamed.

Ryo stumbled backward, his violently trembling knees buckling as he gasped, "Jonouchi, I'm sorry!"

"You have nothing to apologize for, dearie," Mai said, kind but firm, stepping between Jonouchi and Ryo. "Back off, Jonouchi," she spat before turning to Ryo. "Stand up, Ryo. Don't back away from him. You didn't do anything wrong."

She helped him to his feet, keeping a hand on his shoulder.

* * *

mini cliffhanger? i don't know. Anyway, thanks for reading, guys. reviews are very much appreciated. and keep an eye out for my title change (:


	7. Chapter 7

Since he's actually _in_ this chapter, I figure I should post this again: I am slightly dyslexic and have a hard time telling the difference between the names Malik and Marik. So, more for my own (possibly selfish) purposes than for those of the story, I will be using the name **Namu** (Marik's assumed name from Battle City) when referring to Marik's lighter half, commonly known as Malik. I'm very sorry if this causes any confusion, and I hope you understand.

Passion is a Prison

Chapter 7

Namu sprinted through the street, hopelessly lost, legs growing weary and feeling like his lungs were on fire, but he did not dare slow down; Bakura and Marik were not far behind.

"IMMA KICK YOUR ASS, NAMU!" Marik roared from behind him. Bakura laughed, entertained by Marik's temper.

"You'll have to catch me first!" Namu shouted back.

The reply held nowhere near the power of Marik's threat, and it left him gasping that much harder. Marik heard it none the less, and his cry of rage sent another thrill of adrenaline through Namu's veins. He tucked his head down and surged forward with a speed he did not know he had.

Marik and Bakura had found him that morning, still sleeping, and decided it would be fun to play a little early-morning prank on him. A few pints of fake blood (convincing fake blood; Marik being Marik, and Bakura being Bakura, they knew how to make it so) dumped over him had him immediately consumed with fear that they had finally followed through with their long-lived threat and killed his sister. Namu had his hands around Marik's throat before either of them was aware he had moved. Bakura had managed to pry him off when Ishizu herself entered the room, wondering what was causing the brouhaha. Namu's fuel source changed instantly from anger to terror and he ran for his sorry life.

Marik and Bakura were simply fueled by their desire to kill him.

Sadistic bastards, the both of them.

But then again, that's probably why they got along so well.

An unforeseen pothole pulled Namu abruptly from his ponderings. Not to mention face-first into the concrete.

Gasping for breath, head spinning, Namu struggled to his feet, but he could not manage to get running again before Marik had taken hold of him and thrown him down again. Marik landed a sharp kick to Marik's chest (and a few more, for good measure) before dragging him, none too gently, to his feet. Bakura joined in the bashing this time while Namu struggled feebly against them, their jeering faces swimming in and out of focus with each sharp gasp he took.

_**XxXxXxXxXxX**_

"Jonouchi," Mai said, each syllable laced with anger. "I know you're only trying to protect Shizuka, but-"

Shizuka snorted. "Protect me from what?"

"Shizuka's right, darlin," Mai said. "Ryo's a nice guy. You said so yourself last night, remember?"

Jonouchi stared at Ryo. "What…why didn't you tell me?"

Ryo drew a deep, shuddering breath.

"Because I was afraid," he said softly, and then exhaled slowly. He paused briefly before continuing. "I've always loved her, since the minute I saw her. But I was afraid to tell you."

"Ryo," he said softly. "I'm so sorry."

Ryo shook his head. "Like Mai said, you were just trying to protect Shizuka."

"But, also like Mai said, you're a nice guy," Jonouchi said.

A sudden shout from outside interrupted the conversation.

"IMMA KICK YOUR ASS, NAMU!" Jonouchi recognized the voice to be Marik's. It was followed by a much weaker voice, almost undoubtedly Namu's yelling, "You'll have to catch me first!"

Jonouchi ran outside, closely followed by Shizuka, Ryo, and Mai.

Marik was holding Namu by the collar of his shirt and was, with Bakura's help, beating the shit out of him. The front of Namu's clothes was stained with what bore a sickening resemblance to blood. Bakura caught sight of the four of them approaching and his face held, rather than the sneer Jonouchi had been expecting, an expression close to fear. He backed away.

"Drop him," he said quickly to Marik. "Drop him, put him down, _now_!"

"No way, Bakura!" Marik yelled, but paused in his beating of Namu, who had gone utterly boneless against his captor's grip, choking for breath. "No way in hell! You saw what he did to me!"

"Marik," Bakura said angrily. There was a glint in his eyes that Jonouchi had come to associate with shadow games. "Put him down. _Now_."

"Why the hell should I?"

"Just do it!"

Reluctantly, Marik let go of Namu's shirt. Namu took a few staggered steps backward and collapsed. Marik looked ready to pounce again, but Bakura dragged him away. Jonouchi rushed to Namu's side and helped him to his feet. Namu latched onto Jonouchi's shoulder.

"Th…thank you," he said, coughing and gasping.

Jonouchi glared at Marik, but Shizuka spoke first.

"_What_ is your damn _problem_?" she shrieked. "You're a monster! You could have _killed _him!"

"That was my _goal_," Marik said.

Shizuka turned away from him, long red hair whipping behind her, crystal green eyes flashing dangerously. Jonouchi followed the others back inside, still supporting Namu. Once there, Namu pulled away and steadied himself. He swayed a bit and Jonouchi was ready to catch him, but he managed to stay on his feet.

"Come sit down," Mai said gently, escorting Namu to the living room. He was limping severely, hardly daring to put weight on his right leg. He collapsed onto the couch, arms wrapped tight around his torso.

"It's not blood," he said quickly, voice shaking, when he saw Ryo eyeing the stains on his shirt. "Well, it is. But it's not real. Another prank from those two."

"Are you alright?"

"I think so," Namu said, still wincing. Ryo's look of concern intensified and he moved to sit next to Namu.

"What's wrong?" Ryo asked urgently.

Namu hesitated. "It hurts to breathe," he admitted. "Just when I take a deep breath."

Ryo grabbed hold of Namu's bony wrist. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said when Namu tensed and tried to pull away. "It's okay; I'm just checking your pulse. Try to relax."

Namu nodded, calming himself, as Ryo closed his eyes, focused. The others simply watched, knowing Ryo knew what he was doing.

"Your pulse is relatively normal," Ryo said after a moment, "so I don't think anything is broken. Marik probably bruised a few of your ribs. We need to get you to a hospital."

Namu shook his head. "I'm fine," he said. "It's no big deal, I've had bruised ribs before."

This knowledge did not comfort Ryo, and Namu noticed. He shook his head again.

"Ryo, I'll be alright," he assured. "I promise."

Ryo eyed him for a moment, concernedly wary, but nodded.

_**XxXxXxXxXxX**_

"Will you _please_ tell me why you stopped me?" Marik asked, yet again, as he and Bakura walked through the door. Bakura turned and faced him, growing weary of the question.

"You were going to kill him," he said. "I had to stop you. There's still a connection between the two of you."

"There is _not_," Marik snapped. "Stop saying that. We are two completely different people."

"Marik, don't you see?" Bakura said. "All you are is the evil that was inside him. All you are is the pain he couldn't handle. You are his anger, his fear, his hatred. Nothing more. Without Namu, you would not exist. You _must _realize that and set your limits! He released you, and he can kill you just as easily."

"Explain," said Marik.

"If he really wanted to, he could kill you by thinking about it," he told him. "In the moment of his death, his fear and hatred for you would be unimaginable. He would subconsciously open the mind-link you two share, transfer his anger to you, and kill you without even knowing it."

"I see," said Marik. "How did you come across this knowledge?"

"I've seen it," Bakura said simply. "When Ryo is being tortured, his fear builds. Anger, rarely, but normally fear. There reaches a point when Ryo's fragile soul can no longer control this fear or pain. The mind-link opens and a portion of these feelings are transferred to me. I can't tell you how close Ryo has gotten to drowning me in his own fear."

"Interesting," said Marik. "Does this connection work both ways?" Bakura nodded. "Very interesting…"

* * *

Bum bum BUUUMMMMMM! Evil cliff of doom!


End file.
